The fixed message stamp with custom or standard imprints is a necessary device in modern businesses, especially in bookkeeping, accounting, billing and mail handling. The earliest stamps were hard rubber, and they were inked from a pad before the message was transferred and imprinted on the document or package. However, the stamp was usually over-inked and the excess ink would end up on the fingers, hands and clothing of the user, and unnecessary and unwanted imprints were made on every surface that came in contact with the face of the stamp.
Recently, a pre-inked stamp element became available in which the ink was contained in micropores within the elastomeric stamp material. This eliminated the messy stamp pad and ink bottle for re-inking the pad. The pre-inked stamper was cleaner and more convenient to use and gave crisp and clean impressions every time it was used.
There was still the problem of unwanted impressions. Also, the pre-inked elements do not have the advantage of a wet ink pad to clear away debris and abrasive particles from the face of the element, which interferes with the imprint and can damage the raised characters. Covers were provided by some manufacturers to protect the element when not being used.
A convenient, unitary structure was recently developed in which a two-part cover was hinged to the element holder and formed a handle in the open position and rotated together to form a closed container. Unless the stamp device was closed, it could still result in unwanted imprints or ink transfer.